Lock-controlled fuel-feed for carbureters



A. R. WICKER.

LOCK CONTROLLED FUELFEED FOR CARBURETERS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB` 28l9l9.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

UNITED STATES PagTENT OFFICE'.-

ADELBERT R. WICKER, or DENVER, COLORADO, AssicfNoR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS I To JOSEPH HERMANN, or CINCINNATI, oHIo.

Locx-coN'rRoLLED FUEL-FEED FOR CARBURETERS,

Application led February-28, 1919.

To all 207mm t may concern Be it known that I, ADELBERT R. TICKER a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver, and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lock- Controlled Fuel-'Feed for Carbureters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,l and 'exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. t

VThis invention relates to controlling lmeans for Huid feed lines, and more espe-` cially to an improved lock-controlled fuelfeed for the carbureters of automobiles employing hydrocarbon engines of the internal combustion type.

While the primary aimvof the invention is to provide a substantially effective antitheft attachment for such gas-propelled automobiles, or to guard against the ever-in-` Iinvention may well be .associated with charge forming devices or the carbureters of any or all of such engines employed in other relations, such as motor vehicles generically whether adapted more especially for land, marine, or aerial propulsion. v

It may also be Said at the outset that, in carrying outthe broader aims of my invention, I do not simply provide an. independently operating lock for a cut-ofil in the fuel supply line, but contrariwise my controlling lock is so operatively associated with the cut-off or valvular element that the latter is directly actuated, into its open and closed positions, conjointly with the positive operation of the lock itself, upon the insertion therein, and actuation in reverse directions as desired, of a properly tting detachable ke 4 3ther objects and advantages of the de- `tailed construction, assembly and functioning of the combined elements will be so clearly apparent from the following disclosure that it would only be unnecessary and Specication of Letters Patent.

'Patented Apr.12, 1921. Serial No. 279,787.

undesirable repetition to further refer to them initially, and for a more complete conception thereof reference will now bev had. to the` accompanying drawings, illustrating a practical embodiment of the improvements, in which drawings- Figure 1 isr a longitudinal sectional view through a suitably formed metallic casing, with my novel combination of cope'rating elements housed therein, the section being taken substantially in the plane of the lines 1 1 of Figs. 2 and 8, with the valvular cut-off' member and its actuating lock element shown in elevation, while the bottom screw-plug'closur'e is slightly turned, from its normal position in Fig. 3, to show more effectively the outlet feed ducts thereof in full lines; Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are cross-Sectional views of Fig. 1 along the planes of the lines 2, 3 and 4, respectively, and looking in the directions of the indicating arrows; and F 1 5 isa top plan view.

he casing -proper is cast from a suitable metal or metallic composition to form an upper and a lower housing 10 and 11, respectively, partially offset relatively to each other, and providing coupling nipples 12 and 13, all'of which are suitably bored and threaded where necessary, as will `hereinafter more f ully appear, and in which casing all of the operative elements are housed and effectively sealed, when assembled, against any tampering with.

A partitioning wall 14 extends across the` lower portion of the upper housing 10, and is formed with an eccentrically disposed threaded bore 15 therethrough, alining concentrically however with the relatively offset lower housing 11, and which` bore 15 merges into a larger one, formed within the thickened wall 16 of the upper portion of the lower housing, thus providing for a posed faces of the disks 19 and 21 are pref erably dished as shown, and a washer 23 may be applied to the concave face of the lower disk, while the opposite face thereof is formed with spanner sockets 24 for the application of a suitable adjusting implement.

The lower portion of the housing 11 1s still of larger bore, tp snugly contain "a replaceable valve seat element, and is internally threaded, as far as necessary to also receive an externally threaded plug closure.

T-he valve seat element is in the nature of a thick peripherally smooth disk 25, having a central port 26 therethrough, of restricted diameter, which in turn is encompassed by a central recess, countersunk from the upper face of the disk and adapted to snugly receive an embedded valve seat 27, of suitable composition, which latter likewise has a central port, in registration with the port 26, the upper end of which forms the seat proper for a conical plug valve element.

The'bottom plug-closure is itself of important detailed construction, and not only serves as a support for holding the valve disk 25 rigidly seated, upper and lower washers 28-29 being supplied for the latter but it also auXiliarly provides for a novel method of feeding the oil smoothly, under an even pressure, to the carbureter, instead of by a direct spurting.

This plug-closure consist-s of a main body portion 30, substantially hollowed out at its underneath side for lightness and finish, and provides the Spanner sockets 3], for wrench manipulation, and a sealing Harige 32.

Its upper face is recessed with a bowl-like cavity 33, immediately below the port 26, from which bowl leads a plurality of radially declining eduction ports 34, extending through the body portion and terminating at their outer ends in a common delivery channel 35, comprising a circumferential groove formed peripherally of the cylindrical outer surface of the plug, which peripheral groove 35, wihen they (plug is screwed home, registers with the bore of the outlet nipple 13, with all of the radial ducts 34 out of direct registration with the latter, as more clearly seen from Fig. 3. This arrangement establishes ia sort of equalizing oil pressure, whereby an even flow of the oil is maintained in its delivery to the carbureter, whether the outlet nipple 13 is directly fitted to the carbureter,which is the preferred practice, or is coupled up therewith through the interposition 0f a tube coupling 36, which latter sometimes becomes expedient- 37 simply designates the usual tubing from the oil supply tank, coupled with the inlet nipple 12 of the improved attachment, which nipple opens into a shallow receiving oil chamber 38 formed, within the. threaded bore 17, intermediate of `the guide-bearing gland 21 and the valve seat element 25. This oil chamber 38 is in controlled communication with the outlet nipple 13, through the several ports or ducts here-t0- fore described, although in Fig. 1, more clearly illustrating same, the flow of oil is cut off, owing to the closed position of the lock-controlled plug-valve, which will now be more particularly referred to. I

This element comprises a positively operating unitary member, avoiding all separable spring controlled parts, consisting of a stem 39 reciprocatingly mounted through the alining apertures of the upper and lower guide-bearing disks 19-21, and terminating at its lower endin a conical plug 4() coacting with the valve seat 27.

The upper end of the stem is screwthreaded externally, as at 41, for engagement with the threaded bore 15, and is provided with a vertical slot 42, for the reception of the rotary bolt 43 of a suitable detachable-key controlled lock, the locking or unlocking of which rotates the bolt 43 as well, and hence the valve stern 39, coupled therewith.r

The lock itself being of no essential' feature,` in its detailed construction, to the invention proper, is simply shown conventionally at 44, having a lower centering disk.

45, snugly fitting within the housing 10, the upper covering plate providing a sealing flange 46, and the usual key-barrel 47.

However, the style of lock thus far found most peculiarly adapted for the particular purpose is of the multiple-disk tumbler type, such as a Yale or a Corbin cabinet lock, slightly modified in construction as to provide a rotating engaging pin or bolt element' instead of a bolt or pin which is actually shot out of the lock casing.

Also, it may be stated that the threads of /the bore 15 and the screw-head 41, engaging therein, are of such a substantial pitch that the rotation of the lock bolt or pin 43, by the turning of the inserted key from locking to unlocking position or vice versa.,v

will actuate the conical plug valve 40 to its relatively full open or closed position, the closing movement being downwardly, with a direct-acting rotary-thrust, in the direction of the flow of the oil, into positive wedging contact with its fibrous valve seat 27, while the opening movement is equally positive in reverse motion upon unlocking the lock as well,there being no indirect actuating means employed whatsoever, in either l direction of movement, such as unsatisfactory springs so liable to become broken, weakened, dislodged, or otherwise rendered defective as to reliable efiiciency if not entirely inoperative.

From the foregoing complete disclosure., it is believed that the complete operation will be entirely obvious without further ydescription thereof, it being understood that in Fig. l the fuel feed supply line is shown as cut off by the closed position of the plug valve 40, and is maintained locked in that closed position until a proper key is inserted inthe lock 44, and operated not only lto unlock the latter but also to simulobvious, and when so assembled the top or` fiange plate 46 of the lock may be effectively sealed to the casing by brazing .or otherwise to prevent anytampering with the lock proper, while the screw plug closure 30, which may or may not be sealed also as desired, provides a ready means for `ydisassembling the valve seating element, for

v renewing the fibrous seat 27 when required by long wear.

Thus it will be seen that my improvements embody a readily at-tachable appliance for a lock-controlled fuel-'feed supply line, preferably applied directly to the carbureter casing itself, as would be indicated 'by Fig. 5, although an intermediate tubular connection-36, as indicated by Figs..1 and 3, may obviously be employed where found to be expedient or desirable, the said appliance being not only of simple and light constructon andr durable and eflicient in action, but also a device that is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and install.

Having now ymade a full and complete disclosure of a practical embodiment of the invention, it will be understood, however, that I do not limit myself to the exact details as set forth, excepting as come withinthe purview of the appended claims, when viewed in the light of the disclosure and a fair interpretationof thesame, the usual range of equivalents being in contemplation.

What I do claim as patentably novel is 1. Valve mechanism of the character described, comprising a casing partitioned by a transverse wall, provided with a threaded bore, said wall separating said 'casing into an upper and a lower housing, the lower housing comprising a partially threaded packing compartment, a valve seating compartment andan intermediate fluid holding compartment, an apertured guide member threaded to engage the screw threads of said packing compartment and forming` both an adjustable lower 'gland for said pac-king compartment, and a top Closure for said fluid compartment, packing material mounted abovesaid gland, a ported valve seat closing the outer end of said fluid compartment, an inlet for saidfiuid compartment above said valve seat, and an outlet leading from said casing below said valve seat, a valve stem extending through said gland and said packing and havin a screw threaded head engaging with said threaded wall bore, a plug valve carried by said valve stem coacting with said valve seat, and means operable from said upper housing for rotating said valve stem and thereby moving said valve toward or away from its seat, substantially as described.

2. Valve mechanism of the character described, comprising a casin'g partitioned by a transverse wall, provided with a threaded bore, said wall separating said casing into an upper and a lower housing, the lowerl housing comprlsing a partially threaded packing compartment, a valve seating compartment and an intermediate Huid -holding compartment, an apertured guide memberv threaded to engage the screw threads of said packing compartment and forming both an adjustable lower Y gland for said packing compartment, and a top closure for said fiuid compartment, packing material mounted above said gland,` a ported valve seatv closing the outer end of said fluid compartment, an inlet for said fluid compartment above said valve seat, and an outlet leading from said casing below said valve seat, a valve stem extending through said gland and said packing and havin a screw threaded headengaging with said threaded wall bore, said head being provided with a transverse slot at its upper end, aplug valve carried by saidvalve stem and means mounted in said upper housing and engaging said slot ,for rotating said valve stem and thereby moving said valve toward or away from its seat, substantially as described.

3. Valve mechanism of the character described, comprising a casing partitioned lby a transverse wall, provided with a threaded bore, said wall separating said casing into an upper and a lower housing, the lower housing comprising a partially threaded packing compartment', a valve seating compartment and an intermediate fluid holding l compartment, an apertured guide member threaded to engage the screw threads of said packingl compartment and forming both an and ducts connecting said central chamber' with said annular passage, an axially perforated disk provided with a valve Seat mounted above said plug, said casing being provided with an inlet for fluid located above said valve seat, and an outlet for fluid registering with said annular passage, a Valve stem havinga screw threaded head engaging said threaded wall bore, said head being provided with a transverse slot at its upper end, a plug valve carried by said valve stem and means mounted in said upper housing and engaging said slot for rotating said valve stem and thereby moving said valve toward or away from 1ts seat, substantially as described. y

4. Valve mechanism of the character described, comprising a casing partitioned by a transverse wall, provided with a threaded bore said wall separating said casing into` an upper and a lower housing, the lower housing comprising a partially threaded packing compartment, a valve seating compartment and an intermediate fluid holding compartment, an apertured guide member threaded to engage the screw threads of said packing compartment and forming both anv adjustable lower gland for said. packing compartment, and a top closure for said fluid compartment, packing material mounted above said gland, a plug screwed into the` lower end of said lower housing and provided with a central chamber on its upper side, an annular passage on its periphery and ducts connecting said central chamber with said annular passage, an axially perforated disk lprovided with a valve seat mounted above said plug, said casing being provided with an inlet for fluid located above said valve seat, and an outlet for fluid registering with said annular passage, a valve stem having a screw threaded head engaging said threaded wall bore, a plug valve carried by said valve stem coacting with said valve seat, and means operable fromv said upper housing for rotating said valve stem and thereby moving said valve toward or away from its seat,'substantially as described.

5. Valve mechanism of the character described, comprising a casing partitioned by a transverse wall, provided with a threaded bore, said wall separating said casing into an upper and a lower housing, the lower housing comprising a) lpartially threadedi packing compartment, a valve seating com partment and an intermediate fiuid holding compartment, an apertured guide member 'threaded to engage the screw threads of said packing compartment and forming both an adjustable lower gland for sald packing compartment, and a top closure for said uid compartment, packing material mounted above said gland a ported valve seat closing vthe outer end of said fluid ompartment, an inlet for said Huid compartment above said valve seat, and an outlet leading from valve stem extending through said gland and said packing and having a screw threaded head engaging with said threaded wall bore, a plug valve carried by said valve 'stem coacting with said valve seat, in combination with means for4 moving said valve comprising a lock mounted 'in said upper housing and engaging the head of said valve stemv` substantially as described.

6. Valve mechanism of the character described, comprising a casing partitioned by a transverse wall, provided with a threaded bore, said wall separating said casing into an upper and a lower housing, the lower housing comprising a partially threaded packing compartment, a valve seating compartment and an intermediate. fluid holding compartment, an apertured guide member threaded to engage the screw threads of said packing compartment and forming both an adjustable lower gland for said packing compartment, and a top closure for said fluid compartment, packing material mounted above said gland, a ported valve seat closing the outer end of said fluid compartment, an inlet for said fiuid compartment above said valve seat, and an outlet leading from said casing below said valve seat, and a valve stem extending through said gland and said packing and having a screw threaded head engaging Vwith said threaded wall bore, said head being provided with a transverse slot at its upper end, in combination with means for moving said valvecomprising a lock mounted in said upper housing and having a downwardly projecting lug engaging in said slotl in the Ahead of said valve stem.` substantially as described.

7. Valve mechanism of the character de-v packing compartment, a'valve seating com-I,l

partment and an intermediate fluid holding compartment, an apertured guide member threaded to engage the screw threads of said packing compartment and forming both an adjustable lower gland for said acking compartment, and a top closure or said fluid compartment, packing material mounted above said gland, a plug screwed into the lower end of said lower housing and provided with a 'central chamber on its u 4per side, an annular passage on its perip ery and ducts connecting said central chamber w1th sald annular passage, an axially perforated disk provided with a valve seat mounted above said plug, said casing being provided with an inlet for fiuid located above said valve seat, and an outlet for fluid register-lng with said annular assa e and a valve stem having a screw t reaed head 'moving said valve comprising a lock mounted in said upper housing Aand having a downwardly projecting lug'engaging in said. slot in the head of said valve stem, substantially as described.

8. Valve mechanism of the character described, comprising a casing partitioned by a transverse wall, provided with a threaded bore,'said wall separatingl said casing into an upper and a lower housing, the lower housing comprising a partially threaded packing compartment, a valve seating compartment and an intermediate fluid holding compartment, an ap'ertured guide member threaded to engage the screw threads of saidpacking compartment and forming both an adjustable lower gland for said packing compartment, and a top closure for said i fluid compartment, packing material mountture.

ed above said gland, a plug screwed into the lower end of said lower housing and provided with a central chamber on its upper side, an annular passage on its periphery and ducts connecting said central chamber with said annular passage, an axially perfo rated disk provided with a valve seat mounted above said plug, said casing being provided with an inlet for fluid located above said 'valve seat, and an outlet for-,fluid registering with said annular passage, a valve stem having a screw threaded head engaging said threaded wall bore, and a plug valve carried by said valve stem coacting with said valve seat, in combination with means for moving said valve comprising, a lock mounted in said upper housing and engaging the lhead of said valve stem, substantially as described. A Y

In testimony whereof, I affix my signa- ADELBERT R. wIoKER. 

